परमं भगवन्नेवं सङ्गमिष्ये त्वया सह। यदि पुत्रो भवेदेवं यथा वदसि गोपते
O blessed one, I will unite with you in this way, if indeed a son is born as you, O lord of cattle, have said.
तथेत्युक्त्वा तु तां कुन्तीमाविवेश विहंगमः। स्वर्भानुशत्रुर्योगात्मा नाभ्यां पस्पर्श चैव ताम्
Saying 'so be it,' the bird-formed one entered Kunti; the enemy of Svarbhanu, master of yoga, touched her in the womb.
तत सा विह्वलेवासीत्कन्या सूरय्स् तेजसा। पपात चाथ सा देवी शयने मूढचेतना
Then that maiden, overwhelmed by the radiance of the sun, became bewildered and fell unconscious upon her couch.
साधयिष्यामि सुश्रोणि पुत्रं वै जनयिष्यसि। सर्वशस्त्रभृतांश्रेष्ठं कन्या चैव भविष्यसि
O lovely-hipped one, I will accomplish this: you will bear a son, the foremost among all wielders of weapons, and you will remain a maiden.
ततः सा व्रीडिता बाला तदा सूर्यमथाब्रवीत्। एवमस्त्विति राजेन्द्रप्रस्थितं भूरिवर्चसम्
Then that bashful girl spoke to the Sun, 'So be it,' and departed, radiant as a king.
इतिस्मोक्ता कुन्तिराजात्मजा सा विवस्वन्तं याचमाना सलज्जा। तस्मिन्पुण्ये शयनीये पपात मोहाविष्टा वेपमाना लतेव
Thus addressed, Kunti, daughter of the king, bashfully entreated Vivasvat; on that sacred couch she fell, overcome by delusion, trembling like a vine.
तिग्मांशुस्तां तेजसा मोहयित्वा योगेनाविश्यात्मसंस्थां चकार। न चैवैनां दूषयामास भानुः संज्ञां लेभे भूय एवात बाला
The blazing Sun, having bewildered her with his radiance, entered her by yoga and established himself within; yet Bhanu did not violate her, and the maiden regained consciousness.
ततो गर्भः समभवत्पृथायाः पृथिवीपते। शुक्ले दशोत्तरे पक्षे तारापतिरिवाम्बरे
Then a conception arose in Pritha, O lord of the earth, on the bright eleventh day, like the lord of stars in the sky.
सा बान्धवभयाद्बाला गर्भं तं विनिगूहती। धारयामास सुश्रोणी न चैनां बुबुधे जनः
Out of fear of her relatives, the maiden concealed her pregnancy; O lovely-hipped one, she bore it, and no one knew.
न हि तां वेद नार्यन्या काचिद्धात्रेयिकामृते। कन्यापुरगतां बालां निपुणां परिरक्षणे
No other woman knew of her, except her nurse; the maiden, skilled in concealment, remained in the house of virgins.
ततः कालेन सा गर्भं सुषुवे वरवर्णिनी। कन्यैव तस्य देवस्य प्रसादादमरप्रभम्
Then, in due time, that woman of splendid beauty gave birth to a child; by the grace of that god, she bore a daughter shining like the immortals.
तथैवाबद्धकवचं कनकोज्ज्वलकुण्डलम्। हर्यक्षं वृषभस्कन्धं यथास्य पितरं तथा
Just as his father, the child was adorned with an unfastened armor, brilliant golden earrings, tawny eyes, and the shoulders of a bull.
जातमात्रं च तं गर्भं धात्र्या संमन्त्र्य भामिनी। `उत्स्रष्टुकामा तं गर्भं कारयामास भारत
As soon as the child was born, the radiant woman, after consulting with the nurse, wished to abandon the child and made arrangements to do so, O Bharata.
मञ्जूषां शिल्पिभिस्तूर्णं सुनद्धां सुप्रतिष्ठिताम् ।। प्लवैर्बहुविधैर्बद्धां प्लवनार्थं जले नृप। अजिनैर्मृदुभिश्चैवं संस्तीर्णशयनां तथा
A chest was swiftly constructed by craftsmen, well-secured and firmly set; bound with many kinds of floats for drifting on water, O king, and lined with soft skins to serve as a bed.
मञ्जूषायां समाधाय स्वास्तीर्णायां समन्ततः। मधूच्चिष्टस्थितायां तं सुखायां रुदती तथा। श्लक्ष्णायां सुपिधानायामश्वनद्यामवासृजत्
Placing the child in the chest, well-cushioned all around, with honey smeared inside for comfort, and weeping, she sealed it tightly and set it afloat on the river Ashvanadi.
जानती चाप्यकर्तव्यं कन्याया गर्भधारणम्। पुत्रस्नेहेन सा राजन्करुणं पर्यदेवयत्
Knowing that it was improper for a maiden to bear a child, yet out of affection for her son, she lamented sorrowfully, O king.
समुत्सृजन्ती मञ्जूपामश्वनद्यां तदा जले। उवाच रुदतीकुन्ती यानि वाक्यानि तच्छृणु
As she released the chest into the waters of the Ashvanadi, Kunti, weeping, spoke these words; listen to them.
स्वस्ति तेऽस्त्वान्तरिक्षेभ्यः पार्थिवेभ्यश्च पुत्रक। दिव्येभ्यश्चैव भूतेभ्यस्तथा तोयचराश्च ये
May blessings be upon you, child, from the beings of the sky, the earth, and the divine ones, and from those who dwell in the waters.
शिवास्ते सन्तु पन्थानो मा च ते परिपन्थिनः। आगताश्च तथा पुत्र भवन्त्यद्रोहचेतसः
May your paths be auspicious, and may you have no obstacles; and may those who approach you, child, be free from malice.
पातु त्वां वरुणो राजा सलिले सलिलेश्वरः। अन्तरिक्षेऽन्तरिक्षस्थः पवनः सर्वगस्तथा
May Varuna, the king and lord of the waters, protect you in the water; and in the sky, may the wind, who pervades all, guard you.
पिता त्वां पातु सर्वत्र तपनस्तपतांवरः। येन दत्तोसि मे पुत्र दिव्येन विधिना किल
May your father, the sun, protector among those who burn, shield you everywhere; for you were granted to me, child, by a divine ordinance.
आदित्या वसवो रुद्राः साध्या विश्वे च देवताः। मरुतश्च सहेन्द्रेण दिशश्च सदिदीश्वराः
May the Adityas, Vasus, Rudras, Sadhyas, all the gods, the Maruts with Indra, and the guardians of the directions protect you.
रक्षन्तु त्वां सुराः सर्वे समेषु विषमेषु च। वेत्स्यामि त्वांविदेशेपि कवचेनाभिसूचितम्
May all the gods guard you, both in level and uneven places; I will recognize you, even in a foreign land, by the armor that marks you.
धन्यस्ते पुत्र जनरको देवो भानुर्विभावसुः। स्त्वां द्रक्ष्यति दिव्येन चक्षुषा वाहिनीगतम्
Blessed is the guardian who will see you, child, as the god Bhanu, the radiant sun, beholds you with divine vision among the troops.
धन्या सा प्रमदा या त्वां पुत्रत्वे कल्पयिष्यति। यस्यास्त्वं तृषितः पुत्र स्तनं पास्यसि देवज
Blessed is the woman who will accept you as her son; whose breast you, O divine-born child, will suck when thirsty.
कोनु स्वप्नस्तया दृष्टो या त्वामादित्यवर्चसम्। दिव्यवर्मसमायुक्तं दिव्यकृण्डलभूषितम्
What dream did she see, who will behold you, radiant as the sun, adorned with divine armor and celestial earrings?
पद्मायतविशालाक्षं पद्मताम्रदलोज्ज्वलम्। सुललाटं सुकेशान्तं पुत्रत्वे कल्पयिष्यति
Who will accept you as her son, with wide lotus-like eyes, shining coppery lotus petals, a beautiful forehead, and lovely hair?
धन्या द्रक्ष्यन्ति पुत्र त्वां भूमौ संसर्पमाणकम्। अव्यक्तकलवाक्यानि वदन्तं रेणुगुण्ठितम्
Blessed are those who will see you, child, crawling upon the earth, uttering indistinct words, covered in dust.
धन्या द्रक्ष्यन्ति पुत्र त्वां पुनर्यौवनगोचरम्। हिमवद्वनसंभूतं सिंहं केसरिणं यथा
Fortunate indeed are those, my son, who will see you again in the vigor of youth, like a lion born in the Himalayan forest.
एवं बहुविधं राजन्विलप्य करुणं पृथा। अवामृजतमज्जूषामश्वनद्यां तदा जले
Thus, O King, Kunti lamented in many ways with sorrow, and then washed herself with water from the Ashvanadi river.